STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Rarely have moon bounces and ecological conservation been married so joyously.

The fifth annual Raritan Bay Festival, held on Saturday, drew a crowd of roughly 600 Islanders for a roaring day of family fun and environmental edification on the friendly confines of Conference House Park.

The festival started with the "Retro Run," an '80s-themed 5k race at 10 a.m. Festivities continued with kayaking jaunts around the bay, fishing, live music, and barbecuing. Local vendors were in attendance selling everything from jewelry, to artisanal foods and soaps. Children were treated to moon bounces, magicians, and a variety of other entertainment.

"We want to bring out families to see the park and be in nature," said Jim Pistilli, organizer and President of the Conference House Park Conservancy. "There's more to the park than just the [conference] house. We want to show off all the additional opportunities for recreation here."

Conference House Park is named after the Revolutionary War peace conference that was held at the historic house on September 11, 1776, between the Americans and the English. Besides the landmarked house, the site also features beaches, woodlands and running trails.

Situated in Tottenville, the park is in an area that was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. In accord with the festival's nature theme, Scape/Landscape representatives set up a presentation at the festival to discuss their ambitious, $60-million "Living Breakwater" project aimed at better protecting the shoreline of Tottenville.

Scape/Landscape's breakwater design won the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force's Rebuild by Design contest this June. Their breakwaters are rocky walls that will be strategically placed underwater, around Tottenville's shore, to diminish destructive wave energy, help to reduce flooding and enhance the local ecosystem.

"We specially designed these breakwaters to integrate ecosystems underwater, and above water. We've created small reef streets for underwater fish and sites for oyster restoration as well," Scape/Landscape Associate Gena Wirth said. "So this can really become an ecological hotspot in the Raritan Bay."

Eymund Diegel, chair of Public Laboratory, was in attendance to teach children (and parents) about how he uses a giant helium balloon and some makeshift, recycled tools to take aerial photographs of Raritan Bay and document shore erosion for Scape/Landscape's project.

"Through these photos we can identify new water outflows, where people are walking and other relevant planning data that will help us design the best project for Staten Island," Diegel said. "And this balloon fascinates the kids here. It's a fun event. A girl came up to us crying because she needed touch the balloon. And this is why we do this: so we can engage people. They can give us their specialty knowledge about the area."

Out on the beach, the Department of Environmental Conservation set up a fishing clinic, offering some 40 rods to any attendees looking to celebrate Free Fishing Weekend in New York. During the last weekend in June, anyone can fish in fresh or marine waters with no license required.

"We want to make a point for people to get out into nature and enjoy the fine fishing weather," said Melissa Cohen, Regional Fisheries Manager for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. "Hopefully it will build a better understanding of the ecosystem in these kids and will make them want to learn more about it and help preserve it."

All the while local bands performed at two stages in the park. And among all events, kayaking was the consensus favorite.

"It's just a good overall event for the kids to enjoy," said Deborah Dohner, of Tottenville, who recently went kayaking with her grandkids. "If they could get a 58-year-old grandma into a kayak, the event must be doing something right."